Roman and Andre made a decision between three choices, starting with mud guards that cost $50. The exhaust tip in black chrome added $130 to the total, while the Predator Drop Step is listed on the window sticker for $745. The sticker also shows that the vehicle gets 21 miles per gallon combined, which is equivalent to 11.2 liters per 100 kilometers.
The truck, which has a 2.4-liter turbo four-cylinder engine and four-wheel drive with a locking rear differential, is surprisingly fuel-efficient. Instead of opting for a manual transmission, the hosts chose an automatic to reduce delivery time. They also emphasized that their TRD Off-Road model is not a hybrid, as hybrid production is set to begin in April 2024.
To test out their new Tacoma, Roman and Andre drove it 1,050 miles to Denver, Colorado. Along the way, they stopped in Dallas to pick up a trailer called the Sasquatch Expedition Campers Highland 60, which has a queen-sized mattress. This off-road camper starts at $49,500 for the Trail version, making it more expensive than TFL’s truck. The Pro-X version, on the other hand, costs $59,950 as of February 2024.
Before attaching the camper, the four-cylinder turbo pickup achieved 23.8 miles per gallon. After refueling with 9.2 gallons of 87 octane, Roman discovered that the truck actually achieved 24.2 miles per gallon.
During the next 152 miles of their journey, Roman and Andre towed the Highland 60 despite the owner’s manual advising against towing within the first 500 miles. Despite the cold, rainy, and windy conditions, the truck managed to maintain a fuel efficiency of 12.4 miles per gallon at the pump.
It’s worth noting that the TRD Off-Road is equipped with 32-inch ATs from BFGoodrich, while the off-road camper is taller than the Tacoma itself. The Sasquatch Highland 60 weighs 1,784 pounds when dry, but in its current configuration, it exceeds 2,000 pounds.
One drawback of the TRD Off-Road model, according to Roman, is the absence of a trailer brake controller. However, this grade does not have the unattractive chin spoiler found on non-off-road trims.
Both Andre and Roman agree that overtaking while towing can be challenging. Despite the truck’s 278 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque, towing at high elevations, such as in Denver, poses difficulties even for a turbocharged engine.